I figure I'll ask here, what does everyone here use to clean and 'preserve' their firearms?Peace
Kai
Well, Break-Free is the cleaner of choice for the 82nd Airborne. This stuff is pretty good IMHO and its cheap as well.
Break free is what I use. A "light coat" always does the trick.
Kai,
Breakfree and a light coat of oil. I'd get a little more meticulous if I owned any high-speed "status" guns. I suppose I'd get a little more obsessive if I owned any "status" pieces.
Chief
Thank you for the info, I'm a (ex)-hunting idiot so I usually end up using Hoppe's for my hunting guns so I was just curious to what people on here use for their more formidable weapons. (Can't hunt anymore because I'd like to Graduate College some time without failing classes)
So Breakfree is sufficient for both simple long arms to Assault rifles, from your Average pistol and even up to the IPSC Competition guns?
Peace
Kai
When I used to compete in IPSC and USPSA shooting, I would sometimes shoot 2000 rounds a weekend in competition between the matches,warm ups, shoot offs, and side bets on speed shoots.
My shooting partner and I used to compltely disassemble our 1911s and give them a good soaking in naptha. This would absolutely get rid of any fouling in any crevice. We would then use Break Free to clean the naptha off (which was very easy) and the guns would come out squeaky clean.
On heavy shooting days we used either Mystic 50w oil or mystery oil. This lubing would really coat the insides and even after 500 - 600 rounds would still function very well regardless of the carbon build up. Of course we would dry patch between matches if we had the time.
This was the common technique for 4 years of heavy weekend shooting every single weekend. Our 1911s functioned very well and always served us with this cleaning set up.
At this time...1987...I was reloading a 200 H&G #68 LSWC over 5.8 grains of Winchester 231 powder. Although that is primarily a shotgun powder, it wokrd very well in my compensated .45. It gave me almost .45 Super results without the pressure problems. About 4 years ago, the 231 powder really took off as far as pistol shooting goes but a lot of us were using it in Oklahoma back in the 80s.
Keep Training HArd.....
Michael
KempoMike,
Don't leave us hanging, what is "mystery oil?"
2,000 rounds of .45 ammo in a weekend? That would deplete my kids college fund, no wonder you're reloading!
Chief
Hmm, you were getting good performance out of using shotgun powder without the usual problems of shooting a +p type round? Is that because it has a slightly more sustained burn than what you'd see normally in high grain rounds?
Yeah, and I've never heard of Mystery oil, can you give us a clue?
Peace
Kai
Go to a hardware store or auto store...usually the hardware store will carry it. It has a red label that looks kind of old fashioned. It is actually called Mystery Oil. During the summer time, any 50w oil will do nicely. It gives thick protection and takes a lot of heat to wear it down thin enough to hurt the slide or frame. During the winter you need to use the Mystery oil or something thinner than 50w. Go out and buy a 5 gallon bucket worth of naptha for soaking your gun parts. It should have a metal basket that you can lower into it. Disassemble the gun and place everything in the basket. Lower it. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Swish the basket a couple of times. Remove. Use break free to clean, If you have an air compressor, blow out the carbon fouling form the little hiding places. Oil as usual. Do not put Plastic magazine followers in the naptha. It tends to slowly eat it away. I never soak my magazine springs. I like to use a soaked rag then a clean one and wrap the springs and follow the spiral all the way.
Never...Never...NEVER leave your competition mags loaded at home. Constant pressure on the springs will waeken them over periods of time. I Absolutely hate getting a misfeed because of bad magazines. Don't forget to soak your metal magazines in the naptha also. They will get nasty deep inside from all of the combat magazine changes during a running combat match. I fyou have one magazine that you always keep loaded for home defense. But another and switch the magazines out every week. This will give the one a rest and springs wont weaken. I load the one, and place the other next to it. Home defense magazines should never be abused like the match ones so keep them seperate.
The burn time of the 231 is better than Unique powder but is still a little slower and smoother than Bullseye (which burns too fast and increases recoil in a stock .45) Some people don't like it because of the fouling. Once the barrel is dirty is never gets any worse and tends to even out during the string.
I used to buy Once Fired brass for match ammo in bulk. At that time, I was reloading on a Dillion Square Deal reloader. Had a Lee Progressive reloader but it couldn't handle the heavy reloading abuse. The Dillion is the best by far. Federal or Winchester primers are fine.
I average about 1100 fps with the load that I am talking and can go a little more but I don't like to higher pressures on the once fired brass.
Keep Training HArd....
Michael
Michael,
Thanks for the post, good suggestions all the way around.
Chief
Great info, and thanks for all the info.. Now, could we have this archived? *Grins*
Peace
Kai